March Madness returned on Friday, March 28, and I’m not talking about the 2014 NCAA Tournament. The NBA stepped up with 11 games of action, and the results featured some of the most important results of the 2013-14 regular season.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. DeMar DeRozan stepped up to score 30 points as the Toronto Raptors took down the Boston Celtics 105-103. Jerryd Bayless put up 20 points for Boston, but it was the Raptors which held on to earn a two-point win and secure its 41st win of the season.
Thus, Toronto has secured its first postseason berth and its highest win total since 2007-08.
2. The San Antonio Spurs had no trouble at all during a 133-102 road blowout win over the Denver Nuggets. Marco Belinelli scored a game-high 27 points for San Antonio, while the Nuggets shot a collective 40.2 percent from the floor.
The Spurs have won an NBA-best 16 straight games.
3. Kevin Love torched the Los Angeles Lakers for 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 29 minutes to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 143-107 win. The performance marked Love’s second triple-double of the 2013-14 regular season.
As a team, Minnesota shot 67.1 percent from the floor—the best mark of any team this season.
4. LeBron James recorded 17 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to help the Miami Heat get past the Detroit Pistons 110-78. Udonis Haslem added a season-high 17 points for Miami as it earned a convincing road blowout win over the Pistons.
It was LeBron’s first triple-double since Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals.
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5. Kevin Durant posted an incredibly efficient 29 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 94-81 win over the Sacramento Kings. Durant was 9-of-11 from the field, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and 8-of-8 from the charity stripe in 29 minutes of action.
Durant’s streak of scoring at least 25 points has reached 37 straight games.
6. Six separate players scored in double-figures as the Portland Trail Blazers went on the road and blew the Chicago Bulls out 91-74. Mo Williams scored a game-high 18 points and Robin Lopez poured in 13 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and two steals.
With the victory, Portland secured its first road winning record since 2009-10.
7. The Washington Wizards turned heads with a huge 91-78 victory over the Indiana Pacers. John Wall scored a game-high 20 points and Marcin Gortat tallied 17 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and a steal as Washington picked up a critical win.
Gortat matched his career-high with his 31st double-double of the season.
8. Paul Pierce lit up the Cleveland Cavaliers to help the Brooklyn Nets secure a 108-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Pierce scored 22 points in just 20 minutes, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and beyond the arc, and 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
Brooklyn has won 12 consecutive home games.
9. Nikola Vucevic erupted for 24 points and a season-high 23 rebounds as the Orlando Magic pulled out a surprising 110-105 overtime victory against the Charlotte Bobcats. It was the sixth 20-20 game of Vucevic’s career, which is especially impressive considering he’s only 23.
Since losing nine consecutive games, Orlando has won two in a row.
10. Goran Dragic poured in 32 points on 11-of-17 shooting to lead the Phoenix Suns past the New York Knicks 112-88. Amar’e Stoudemire scored 19 points against his former team, but the Knicks shot 40.2 percent from the floor.
Phoenix has won six consecutive games.
Bonus Facts
- Tyreke Evans posted 22 points and a career-high 15 assists to lead the New Orleans Pelicans past the Utah Jazz 102-95.
- Stephen Curry scored 33 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a big 100-93 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
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